Clip-tag for price-marking silk goods.



A. T. VAN ALSTYN.

CLIP TAG FOR PRICE MARKING SILK GOODS.

APPLICATIOM FILED AUG-29. \9l2.

1 1 90,89 1 Patented July 11, 1916.

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ALBERT T. VAN ALSTYN, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

CLIP-TAG FOR PRICE-MARKING SILK GOODS.

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Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 11, 1916.

Application filed August 29, 1912. Serial No. 717,673.

11 '0 all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, ALBERT T. VAN AL- STYN, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing labels or tags usually affixed or aflixable to fabrics,and to dry-goods generally, by means of some kind of metallic clip, andcommonly known as pi'ice-tags.

A principal object of my present improve .ments is to furnish a combinedtag and clip,that is; a clip-tag,--adapted to be safely applied todelicate and expensive fabrics, and which may also be readily removedfrom such fabrics without injury either to the clip or to the fabric, sothat by means of re-marking or using small renewable price labels, theclip-tag may be employed in succession for marking a considerable numberof articles.

For accomplishing those purposes, a further object, among others, is tofurnish a clip in which the fabric-holding hooks will be located onspring arms arranged and connected with other parts of the clip in sucha manner as to distribute the draft upon the hook arms to a plurality ofbearing faces for each of said arms; also, to provide a construction forthe clip whereby a clear space will be provided for the reception of theedge or selvage of a fabric and thereby avoid injury due to theaccidental drawing or wedging of the edges of such fabrics in betweenportions of the wire from which the clip may be made or between normallycontiguous portions of the wire and the card; also, to provide anarrangement in which the hook-arms have a working fulcrum consisting ofa portion of the transverse head-bar of the clip, this headbar beinglocated crosswise to the pair of hook-arms and between these arms andthe card.

Another object of the invention is to make the points of the clipneedle-pointed and well sharpened to prevent the breaking of the threadsin fine mesh delicate woven fabrics.

In the drawing accompanying and forming a part of this specification,Figure 1 is a plan view of a clip-tag made in accordance with my presentinvention. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the clip-tag as seen from belowin Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is an end elevation of the tag and clip as seen fromthe right hand in Figs. 1 and 2. Fig. 4 is a perspective view of amodification on a larger scale, illustrating the organization ofmembers, into which the metal part of such modification is formed in thecompleted clip. Fig. 5 is an enlarged side elevation of the clip,corresponding in position to Fig. 2, and showing the card or tag brokenaway. Fig. 6 is a '1 view taken on the line YY, Figs. 1 and 5; this viewshowing the parts at the right hand of the line YY as seen from thepoint at the left-hand thereof. Fig. 7 is a crosssectional view on theline XX, of Fig. l, showing the parts at the right-hand of said line asseen at the left-hand thereof, this view showing the upward extensionsforming additional stop faces, and being a modification of theembodiment shown in Fig. (3.

Similar characters designate like parts in all the vlews. Duplicateparts, however, are

generally distinguished by the addition of a prime mark, since thecomplete clip comprises two similar halves or side portions, which, asto their relative formation, are righthanded and left-handed,respectively. Thus the hook-arm on one side is designated by e, and onthe other side by 6, although in themselves these arms are or may beexactly 1 alike, and in referring to either one alone, they aresometimes hereinafter designated simply as the hook-arm c; and similarlyas to other duplicate details, on whichever side of the clip suchdetails may in fact be located.

While the clip, as illustrated in Figs. 1, 2 and 8, is shown applied'toa relatively small tag or card, as 7:, and while the clip itself isshown of a relatively large size for con venience of illustration, itwill be understood that my present invention is particularly applicableto clips of relatively small dimensions and for use 011 cards of varyingsizes and thicknesses.

With the clip-tags heretofore commonly employed, aconsiderable lossfrequently occurs through the breaking of a thread or threads infine-mesh delicate woven fabrics, particularly with the clip as appliedto silks of the finer grades, and I have discovered that it isparticularly desirable, in order to avoid such injuries to those kindsof valuable goods, to make the hook points, as 0 0, needle-pointed andwell sharpened. and also to make the clip itself of a relatively smallerwire than ordinarily employed. But when the smaller wire is used,thecard ortag has a reduced power of resisting the strains or draft towhich these articles are frequently subjected, and in order to providefor these conditions, and meet emergencies and accidents, I haveprovided an organ zatlon of the several members of the clip whereby.(toward the card), and preferably rearwardly, (see Figs. 2, 4, 5, and 7the points of said hooks bear upon the card is, which thus protects thehooks and leaves the upper bends, at 6 6, of a form adapted forpreventing them from catching onto and thus injuring goods'to which theclip is not attached. The direction of the draft or pullupon' the hooks0 0 and their arms 6 0',

V respectively, is indicated by the arrow '1".-

The hook-arm eis shown integrally connected by the bend, at 4, withtheshort and nearly vertical" part or member (Z which takes its bearingagainst the abutment or 7 bearing face'n of the card; and through thepart Z the hook arm 6 is further connected through the turn at 3 withthe lower parallelniember 0 which extends forwardly from the edgebearing a, and at the bend 2 turns 1 upwardly as indicated at b, forthereby deagainst the "abutment at t.

livering a part of the total draft-force V In this way when the fabricis subjcctedto strain relatively to the card or tag 70, this strain istransmittedthrough the said parts 6, d, c, and 6, (see Fig. 5) and isdelivered against the card at the two bearing points it and t, which arethus brought into direct co-action for each one sustaining a part of thetotal; load or draft. lnthis way any pull or draft uponfthe hook 0, inthe direction of the arrow 1*, is transmitted to two'bearing points (asa aud t), which lie in substantially the same vertical plane as the hookarm 6, so that the strain is received on the card in a 'directmanner andma way best adapted for sustaining a relatively high degree of strainwith a minimum tendency 'to distortion or injury of either the clip orthe card.

As regards the total strain 'or draft upon the card, when the hooks 6, 6are pulled in the direction of the arrow r, Figs. 5 and 6, both of saidbearings, as at t and a, may be said to be draft bearings, but asregards the force so applied to the bearing 25, whether this force betransmitted through the member c or th'e'member a, or through both of 7head it.

these, the action may be said to be a thrust; and relatively to thesemembers a and c, the bearing 7? may therefore be considered as a thrustbearing.

I From the upper ends of the members I) b, the clip-structure continuesthrough the bonds at l1, and the side-bars 0, a, and at the bends 5-5oins by an integral connection with the extended ends of the head- .bar71,, thus completing the system of clip components. The said headmember, It, lies upon the card adjacent to the outer bearing a, and thusmechanically cotiperates with the hook arms 0 and e,and as a fulcrumbartherefor,and with the lower parallel members 0 and o for securing thestability of the clip upon the card, and thus insures a more permanentadjustment and relationship of all of the parts in connection with thedistribution of the total strain on each hook arm as between the twobearing faces, as a and t, therefor. The primary draftabutment, a, ispreferably on the unbroken outer edge of the card, while the secondaryand supplemental draft-abutment, t, is located within the card, and is athrust-resistant for the member 0.

The head it of the clip is shown extended in length (see Figs. 1, 3, at,6 and 7) to a length considerably in excess of the direct distancebetween the hook arms 0, e, and by this means spaces are provided at oo(see Figs. 1, 4c and 7), so that when the fabric edge is fully drawnback, the fabric lies under the hook arms 6 and 6, extends outwardly andupwardly through the spaces oo, and then over the said side arms a awhere these turn forwardly at 5-5, from the laterally extended ends fromthe said This peculiar arrangement of the several members, provides forbringing the extreme rearward end of the hook arms 0 and e closely downonto the head-bar h, (when the clip is completed in engagement with thetag 70), so that a clear space is provided under the said hook arms allof the way from the hooks backwardly to the forward side of the saidbearing h, whereby the fabric, as f f, Figs. 2 and 7, is permitted to bedrawn fully back against the stop face at s 8 without being subjected toany frictional engagement or strain other than is required to draw thesame under the hooks; this avoids a prolific source of injury and losswhich has heretofore been incurred by the use of various kinds of pricetags.

hen the fabric, as f, Fig. 2, is drawn back under the hook arms a and 0,until the edge of the fabric finally comes against the said combinedhead member and stopface member h, the fabric then lies above the sidemembers or head arms, a, and a, (see Fig. 7) and the edge of the fabricthen crosses the'bar it at the points 8 and s thus the forward side ofthe head it constitutes a positively acting stopface for preventing theedge of the fabric from being drawn backwardly into a wedging engagementbetween the rounded transversesurfaces of the clip members it and e, e.

In the construction ust described, and as well shown in Fig. 5, the clipcomprises a three-bend four-sided loop, consisting of the members a, Z),0 and (Z, and one end of which connects with the hook-arm 6, while theother end located above the card 70, connects with the extended end ofthe head-bar. The upper said loopanember a, by integrally connecting atthe bend 5 with the head-bar b,--tl1iS bend being located to one side ofthe connected hook-arm,brings directly forward to the member 6 andabutment If, any forward draft which the arm 6 exerts upon the head 71,;and the outer member d, by integrally connecting through the bend at awith the rearward end of the arm 0, thus hooks over and upon saidhead-bar, or stop-face member, to form a loop-lock whereby the rearwardend of said loop is securely held into firm engagement with the card 70,and with the headbar at the extreme rearward end (or edge) of said card,while each loop incloses a part or edgeportion of the card below saidhead-bar.

In the organization as herein described of the several structuralfeatures, an edgeportion of the card,as, for instance, the portionbetween the members Z) and d, Figs. 5 and 6, may be said to be inclosedin a loop which consists of the members a and c in connection with themembers Z) and cl, and such loop may also be said to be connected at oneend thereof, as at 5, to the head-bar, or transverse stop-face member,as it, while the other end thereof is connected with the hook-arm, as e,by a bend, as 3, (Z, t, which constitutes a hook for holding the saidstop-face member downwardly upon the card. Also, the said loop, asregards some features, may be said to comprise four sides or members, asa, b, 0, (Z and three bends, as 1, 2, 3; and this threebend four-sideloop may be said to connect with the hook-arm, as e, by a bend, as l,forming a hook-engagement with the said head-bar it, this beingtransversely connected with a side-member, as a, of said loop. In thecompleted clip-tag, the organization above described, is such astoprovide the two hook-resisting bearings, as t and 02, located oneremotely from the other, and located for each receiving a part of thestrain or draft due to pulling on said hook, as 6 or 6.. I

For the purpose, among others, of making the forward side of thehead-bar h available and practically operative for a stopface, the hookarms ee are required to pass over, upon and across said bar at pointsrelatively remote from the bends, 55, at

which the headbar connects with the side members a a, since otherwisethe required free spaces at o 41, would not be provided, and a liabilitywould exist for a wedging action to take place of the goods betweenadjacent or contiguous members of the clip; Thus the loop member 64connects through the bend 5 at a point suificiently distant laterally ofthe hook-arm e, to form a free and clear space between the loop-memberand the hook-arm. In Figs. 4; and 7, I have shown the preferredconstruction of the bar it when arranged as above described, the outwardextensions 8, 8 of that bar being here shown curred upwardly formodii'iying the form of the stop-face at s, s, and also form stops forpreventing the outward spreading of the arms 6 c.

The hooks 0 0, being protected by the card is, and the complete clip-taghaving no upwardly or laterally-projecting points or prongs, thereforethese tags may be freely handled in quantities in the hands withoutriskof injury to the operator by pricking through the skin, (not aninfrequent occurrence), and without liability of damaging valuable silksand garments by blood stains due to such injuries. Owing to thedescribed structural features, these cliptags occupy a minimum of spacein packing, and do not interlock or become tangled in the packages whenbeing packed or unpacked, and may be handled by the operators with greatfacility and rapidity, thereby materially reducing the time and laborrequired for applying the tags to the goods.

In practice, the hooks 0 0 may be elevated before putting the fabric inplace thereunder; this is readily done in the case of small clips, byusing the finger-nail, but in all cases a suitable card or blade, asindicated at 2), Fig. 2, may be first slipped under the hooks. And whenthe fabric is in place, the hooks may be released by applying the bladep as in Fig. 2, and then pushing it under the hooks, when the fabric andblade may be withdrawn together.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. In a cliptag of the class specified, the combination with a card andwith a pair of hook-arms lying in a plane adjacent to the card face, andeach having a hook at its free end, of a transversely-disposed combinedhead-bar and top-face member located on the card under the hook-arms andholding said arms at the ends thereof opposite to the hooks above thecard face for thereby providing a selvage-space between the hook-armsand the card face adjacent to said head-bar, and said head-bar forming astop-face at such position for the edge of the fabric.

2. In a clip-tag of the class specified, the combination with a card andwith a pair of hook-arms each having a hook facing the card,-of atransversely-disposed combined head-bar and stop-face member located onthe card under the hook-arms and holding a said arms at the ends thereofopposite to the hooks above the card face for thereby providing aselvage-space and a stop-face for the edge of a fabric; and a pair ofintegrally-connected three-bend, -four-sided loops each having one endthereof located above the card and each inelosing apart of each locatedto the outside of one of the hook-arms, substantially as described.

In a clip-tag of the class specified, the

combination with a card and With a hookarm having a hook, facing thecard, of a transversely disposed stop-face member lo-, cated onand nearthe edge of the card and under the hook-arm, and holdmg said arm at theend thereof opposite to the hooksabove the card face for therebyproviding a" clear' selvagespace for a fabric, and a loop arranged tohave a draft hearing at two points on the card and having one endconnected to said transverse stop-face member, such connection beingdistant laterally of the hook-arm sufficient to form' a free spacebetWeen su ch loop member and the hook-arm, and said stop-face memberhaving an upwardly curved portion.

i. In a clip-tag of the class specified, the combination With a eard andwith a pair of hook-arms each having a hook, facing the card, of atransversely disposed stop-face member located on and near the edge ofthe card and under the hook-arms, and holding said arms at the endsthereof opposite to the hooks above the card face for thereby providinga clear selvage-space for a fabric, and having the stop-face memberprovided with upwardly curved portions at the outer sides of the hookarms, respectively.

ALBERT T. VAN ALSTYN. Witnesses H. D. PENNEY, JOHN Monms.

Copies of thisspatent may be obtained for five cents each, byaddressingthe Commissioner of Patents,

' Washington, 10.0.

